Guardians offense erupts late to beat the Tigers 6-1 and force a deciding Game 3 with a 3:08 pm start. Shifts in scheduling dull the crowd, but Cleveland’s bats finally woke when it mattered, and the bullpen will be tested as Slade Cecconi and a short leash define the opener, with Cade Smith likely ready to cover multiple innings and Joey Cantillo ready if needed. A win would push Cleveland toward an ALDS with Seattle.

Dodgers’ Wild Card win over Cincinnati tightens the Thursday slate to three must-win games, ratcheting up the pressure across the league. If Cleveland survives, the Guardians chase a marquee matchup vs. Seattle, proving their youth and depth can carry them deep. Detroit pivots to a hard exit, while the NL side set the stage for a chaotic, win-or-go-home day in baseball.

Guardians evened the AL Wild Card series by routing Detroit 6-1, turning six hits into six runs behind a stingy bullpen and a repeatable game plan that kept Tigers off the bases. Cleveland wiggled out of trouble all afternoon, stranding 15 runners and flipping the momentum in their favor.

Game 3 in Cleveland pits Slade Cecconi against Jack Flaherty, with Detroit as a slight underdog but clear path to vengeance if they string hits together. Key fantasy angles center on McKinstry, Torkelson, Kwan and Ramirez, plus the potential for a high-leverage bullpen battle that could swing the outcome.

Betting angles focus on the 7.0 total and Guardians at -1.5, with a lean toward Detroit +1.5 in a winner-take-all scenario. The series winner will meet Seattle in the next round, making every at-bat a potential shift in the odds and in fantasy value across both lineups.